Finding the words

[anonymous]

Like so many people here, I am what I am this day because of Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. Without them, I would not have the friends I have, the career I pursue - not even the very person I am. I had very much hoped to meet him before I left this world (I have long-since recognized my own mortality, but certainly I never imagined a world without Mr. Gygax). I'm moved to tears by the regret that I will never be able to thank the man who had possibly the strongest influence in making me what I am today.

It's a sad, sad loss to all of us. Not just to gamers, but to our 21st century society as a whole. The mainstream media is noting the passing of "the co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons," but they fail to see the true impact the man has had upon an entire generation, and subsequent generations. To the mainstream media, Gary Gygax was little more than a pop culture icon.

But D&D, and all of the RPG's that later stood upon that giant's shoulders, have cast so many of us into the roles we play in the real world; and in those roles we daily change the world around us. Some in very minor ways, some in major ones.

I don't think anyone can ever truly gauge the full impact of Gary Gygax's legacy.

Rest in Peace

C

[daddystabz]

Well said and echoed here.
_________________

[anonymous]

I just got home from work, and found out the news because it's impossible to visit any Website I frequent and not learn of it. I'm 28 years old, and I never met the man... I've done a lot for an individual of my age, but... I can't stop crying. I wanted to meet him, I wanted to shake his hand so very, very badly. Just to thank him, y'know? Maybe this is silly... I don't know. I'm pretty confident in what I am... and I owe half of it to his standing up and doing what he did! He played wargames... then he made the next big leap, hell... he designed the next big leap. He told us it was okay to imagine, and the next thing you know you've got volunteer firefighters playing with united states marines as their fighters and their wizards go and rescue the captive elf-maiden... who turns out to be a crack-shot fit to put them all to shame... and there's a guy who's in the last year of medical school who somehow found the time to DM... I've never met a 'type' of person who wasn't represented at a gaming table somewhere in my neighborhood... these are worlds, that he made, that he inspired. Worlds that I sometimes think are better than this one. The people we love can be gone forever in this one. Maybe he deserved a rest, but dammit... at least the inspiration he gave us just might last forever. I hope so. It's freakin' awesome to look at all that he did and feel a renewed drive to continue my own haphazard work hoping that I'll continue to improve. Maybe, someday, I'll have that kind of material coming out, but I hope I never come anywhere near him.

Not that there's much risk of that.

Gods' speed, Mr. Gary, sir.